Jobs in the Firearms Industry Opening Up in Central Missouri

U.S. Law Shield of Missouri Members have a great new opportunity to work in the firearms industry due to a massive new facility opening in the Columbia area.

On a Facebook video, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens announced that American Outdoor Brands Corp. (NASDAQ Global Select: AOBC) will open a new distribution and operations facility in central Missouri. American Outdoor Brands, formerly Smith & Wesson Holding Co., makes and sells shooting, hunting, and other outdoor gear.

Greitens noted that the new 500,000 square-foot distribution center, which will be constructed in Boone County, could bring more than 325 new jobs to the Columbia area. Plans are underway for the company to break ground in the next few months, and construction on the new site will take approximately 18 months to complete. The land on which this site is planned to use is currently owned by Green Acres, LLC, and American Outdoor Brands has a deal in place to buy it for $3.1 million.

The company is working closely with Missouri Department of Economic Development, Regional Economic Development, Inc., and Boone County on the development of the project.

In addition to the distribution center the company has plans to build a 35,000-square-foot office space, and could even purchase an additional 22 acres for future growth–including a potential for an accessories division headquarters. In total, American Outdoor Brands has plans that could provide it with enough space for 1 million square feet of building space.

“We continue to focus on our vision of being a leading provider of high quality products for the shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiast,” said James Debney, president and CEO of American Outdoor Brands.

Debney added, “Our meetings with representatives of Missouri and Governor Greitens demonstrated that they are business-friendly and understand what we need as a company to be successful.”

According to online reports, the company is currently seeking state and local tax credits to help finance the project and has presented an application for $1.5 million in Business Use Incentives for Large-Scale Development, or BUILD, incentives from the Missouri Development Finance Board.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development has also said that the company could receive more than $7.5 million of state incentives if it meets job-creation goals. The company has already announced that it intends to create at least 328 jobs, with an average salary of $46,786, or an average of $22.50 per hour, which is more than the Boone County average salary of $36,225. —by Peter Suciu, Contributor, Texas & U.S. Law Shield Blog

2 comments on “Jobs in the Firearms Industry Opening Up in Central Missouri”

I am excited about this news! I have recently found a new love, respect, admiration and appreciation for the firearms industry and I would love to some how be a part of it. I reside in St. Louis county and would like to know if any career opportunities will be available within a 25-50 mile radius of St. Louis, MO.
Any response would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

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